Category talk:Unknown Menaces
Information below updated for . There are spoilers below, so stop reading if you don't want to know. System Confined Encounter :Randomly generated upon Map creation. ::Does not move from generated location. ::May also be generated by other Encounters. Mobile Random Encounter :Generated encounters that have a percentage chance of happening per turn. ::Will not occur before turn 25. ::Will not (generally) occur if you have other combats that turn. ::Will occur at a randomly selected colony in your Empire. Mobile non–Random Encounter :An encounter that spawns from an in–game encounter that already exists, usually a System Confined Encounter. ::May create additional System Confined Encounters (eg: Silicoid Queen). Grand Menace Encounter :One per game. ::Requires that there be at least 50 stars in the game Map. ::Will not appear before turn 100. ::May spawn Mobile non–Random Encounters (eg: Locust Hive World). __TOC__ When in doubt, use point defenses. Lots of point defenses. A lot of these nightmares use waves of drones and PD will save you a world of hurt. Of course, the exceptions will then proceed to hurt you in entirely different ways. Defeating some of the Unknown Menaces below will give the player monetary or research bonuses. When multiple allies defeat one of those menaces, all allies present get the full bonus. It is not split up. Alien Derelict |Notes=If you can destroy all of its weapon mounts, you will get a one time 25% research boost for 4 turns. If you destroy the Alien Derelict entirely, you will get a one time 10% research boost for 1 turn. Forum Discussion on Same. |Tactics=Use weapons with high accuracy to strip the Derelict's weapons for the larger Research bonus. |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Asteroid Monitor |Notes=Once you have encountered it, a Special Project will become available for research. As long as the Asteroid Monitor is not destroyed, completing this Special Project will allow you to take permanent control of the Monitor and give you a one time 15% research boost for 5 turns. Forum Discussion on Same. The Mark 1 has a strategic scan range of 6ly and a tactical sensor range of 2000. Its weapon loadout is 2 planetary missiles, 24 mass drivers (some dual mounted in the large turrets), 8 gauss cannons and 16 gauss point defense. It may be fitted with Quark Resonators. The Mark 2 has a strategic scan range of 6ly and a tactical sensor range of 4000. Its weapon loadout is 2 planetary missiles, 1 tractor beam, 24 armour piercing mass drivers (some dual mounted in the large turrets), 8 armour piercing gauss cannons and 15 gauss point defense. It may be fitted with Quark Resonators and / or Reflective Coating. |Tactics=Can be evaded if you order your ships to move away from it. Meeting it allows to perform a Special project to gain control over it. |Version= |AMUpdated=Yes }} |AMUpdateInfo= Newer versions of the Asteroid Monitor were introduced with the second expansion. These newer models sport upgraded weaponry and sensors. }} Asteroids |Notes=You get a higher increase if all the meteors are destroyed before striking the planet. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Crows The Crows became the 6th race, the , in the second expansion — . Alien Wreckage |Notes=After two attempts the encounter is removed providing no bonuses. If defeated it provides research and income bonuses. Known to the Morrigi as the "tholos", these are funerary monuments dedicated to particular individuals of great standing among the Travellers. The tholos are similar to a habitat station in design, but were originally built for a single inhabitant while its automated defenses were meant to stand guard against tomb robbers. A tholos is not open to the general public and these monuments were never designed and built with the notion that non–Morrigi would approach them. When Morrigi do approach them, the tholos behaves rather differently. Also, you might note that these tombs have already obviously been attacked and partially destroyed when you first approach them — the automated defenses are probably the last–ditch tomb trap which remains long after the warriors who died defending this place were crushed. — Erinys |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Asteroid Trap |Notes=Asteroid Traps are not prevented by the existence of any other system event. They do not interact with swarms, AM's or anything else. One does NOT preclude the other. Although it does not work as of Version 1.6.6, After researching the third level of Morrigi Xenotech this trap will be disabled automatically when it is encountered. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Colony Trap |Notes=As most ships are not intended for atmospheric travel, this usually results in the destruction of any ships so caught. The size of ship used in the Colony Trap seems to be an attempt to reduce exposure during these operations. Colony Traps are not prevented by the existence of any other system event. They do not interact with swarms, AM's or anything else. One does NOT preclude the other. Although it does not work as of Version 1.6.6, After researching the third level of Morrigi Xenotech this trap will be disabled automatically when it is encountered. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Unknown Vessels |Notes= These ships will also defend nearby planets as well as their homeworld. Bringing a ship equipped with deep scan or 12 command points of ships — 6 destroyers or 2 cruisers — to the system will remove the encounter. No bonuses are provided regardless of how you defeat the encounter. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Locust Homeworld |Notes= Upon arrival at a world, the Hiveship will strip all resources with the aim to replicate itself, resulting in exponential growth. the Locusts can NOT duplicate without taking resources from worlds — Mecron |Tactics= When a Locust swarm attacks one of your planets, let the computer handle the battle, regardless of whether you have a fleet present. You're guaranteed to lose far less ships, population, infrastructure and resources than if you tried to fight manually. I guess maybe the computer knows something about Locusts that we don't. This is possibly a bug with Locusts, but I've confirmed this tactic works over the course of several games. — Harathan Energy Absorbers are very good against the Locusts as all of their weapons are energy based. Disruptor Shields could also work when assaulting the Hiveworld itself, but are unlikely to work against the swarmers. To stop them kill the main sphere... heh, if it was that easy it wouldn't be a menace. The sphere constantly produces a swarm of... cones that go out and kill anything in its path. And unleashes a major wave immediately at the start of the battle. — Samuel Silver Bullet Recipe: A dreadnought equipped as follows: Disruptor Point Deflector for command, Blazer or Impactor for mission, and whatever for engine. Equip with heavy and medium beams on the rear because these WILL kill the cones, point defense also comes in handy. If you can equip one or more corrosive missiles they will help you a lot, if you fire it close enough to the sphere it will damage it and at the same time "erase" a bunch of the cones just as they appear. Intercept in deep space, and don't let too many cones get behind the disruptor screen. Send only the dreadnought if possible because smaller ships will get pwned fast. If you *need* to send support ships to reach the fleetworld (i.e. refinery), be assured that you'll lose them, but the dreadnought will eradicate the fleetworld in two combats at most. Real scary grand menace. — Psiweapon |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Peacekeeper |Notes=Unlike other Grand Menaces, the peacekeeper will "return to this part of his beat every so often unless defeated." |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Puppet Master |Notes=When a Puppet Master is generated, it draws a straight line from where it spawns to a random point on the other side of the galaxy. It then visits every star within 6 light–years of that line. |Tactics=A humorous, yet extremely effective tactic, is to wait until the Puppet Master is set to raid a planet, and have set up there a number of ships (preferably small ones, but anything will do) loaded with Disabler torpedoes or their higher tech variations. The Puppet Master, approaching at full speed, will be unable to stop and will hopefully ram into the planet, dying instantly. |Version= |AMUpdated=Yes }} |AMUpdateInfo=If a PM arrives at an inhabited world and is not defeated, it will turn that colony into an AI rebellion world. }} Silicoids The Silicoids (also known as The Swarm or Space Bees) are a hive of swarming alien drones found around planets. While very fast and well armed, the Silicoids don't seem to be very sturdy. Destroying their Hive is the best way to eliminate them as a threat. Provide a small income bonus when defeated. They are not "alive" in the conventional sense. The silicoids are machines. They were designed for mining, once upon a time. Apparently, the race that created them would build an automated way station in one asteroid — a depot which would build, fuel, and maintain the drones based on the ores that they delivered. The drones, armed with small cutting lasers, would go out into the field and tunnel into the rock, collect rich ore, returning it to the depot for refinement. Whatever race created them abandoned the system eventually and left nothing behind but the silicoids. After years, decades, possible even centuries or millennia, the simple self–defense protocols of the mining depot and its drones have gone wild. Whereas once it was possible for their masters to broadcast a simple code to shut down the anti–theft measures, the drones now recognize no authority and berserkly attack anyone who enters their system. They are very aggressive, if clumsy, in their attempts to protect their "nest" — but if you destroy the depot, they "die", as they are no longer able to get fuel and maintenance from their "mother". The beams for cutting are arrayed under the belly, and are relatively small and slow — not a weapons grade laser. They could not attack a moving ship able to defend itself with those, although they do descend rather quickly to chop up a derelict vessel and carry it back "home" when the crew has been killed. The attack on live vessels is an ejection of plasma from the drone's minute engines. One of many reasons they "die" so quickly, if the nest is killed, is that they will have lost most of their fuel trying to fight off the attacker. Swarm Infestation . |IntroVersion= |Notes= |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated=Yes }} |AMUpdateInfo=The Swarm Nest now spawns a new Queen every 5 turns which seeks out nearby asteroid fields to create her own nest. Also the defenders have been upgraded with a new Warrior Drone. }} Silicoid Queen |Notes= Each Silicoid Hive will generate one of these after a set number of turns. The Queen travels through space to another nearby world with an asteroid field where it creates a new Hive. This results in exponential growth. The Queen is accompanied not only by the usual worker drones, but also by a more aggressive and dangerous warrior drone of some kind. Note that the new hives produced in this fashion will put forth the Queen as an independent entity once the Hive itself has been destroyed. Provides a large income bonus when defeated. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Slavers The Slavers became the 5th race, the , in the first expansion — . Slaver Raid |Notes= If their unique shuttles reach your planet, it will reduce your population but will not affect your planet otherwise. If the entire Slaver fleet is destroyed, you will receive a one time savings bonus of 100,000 for each Slaver cruiser that is destroyed. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated=Yes }} |AMUpdateInfo=Removed from the game. }} |AMUpdateInfo=Re–introduced to the game. }} Slaver Refueling Base |Notes= Only by destroying the tanker will the Slaver presence in the system be eliminated permanently. If the entire Slaver fleet is destroyed, you will receive a one time savings bonus of 100,000 for each Slaver cruiser that is destroyed. The backstory for the sudden appearance of this new encounter is provided in the short story Incident at Ko'Grappa. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated=Yes }} |AMUpdateInfo=Removed from the game. }} |AMUpdateInfo=Re–introduced to the game. }} Specters |Notes= Victims of the Specters are found physically untouched, having suffered no direct damage. Post–mortem examination reveals a massive cascade failure of the central nervous system, as if the brain, spine and nerves had been lit up by a surge of energy. Death was swift and painful. The behavior of the specters should probably be regarded as defensive in nature, rather than predatory. Their natural habitat is being threatened and disturbed — their appearance in the universe is a reaction rather than an action. The specters understand that beings from otherspace have found a way to damage and invade their version of the universe. Now that they have discovered otherspace, they can enter our universe at will and have begun making forays of their own — to investigate and put an end to the disturbances. |Tactics=As beings of pure energy they are immune to non–energy based weapons. Missiles and mass drivers do no damage to Specters. |Version= |AMUpdated= }} System Killer |Notes=When a System Killer is generated, it draws a straight line from where it spawns to a random point on the other side of the galaxy. It then visits every star within 6 light–years of that line. The biggest threat is from its unique Beam weapon. If the System Killer is not destroyed before the end of combat, this weapon will fire, destroying the entire system and any ships still left within. This not only repairs all damage to the System Killer, but it also destroys all Node Lines connected to the system. Any Human or Zuul ships moving along these lines will also be destroyed. |Tactics=Most weapons are effective against the System Killer, but ships with a heavy PD defense are recommended. Also, because the System Killer heals only when it "eats" a system, fighting it in Deep Space (preferably multiple times) before it reaches a star system is also recommended. |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Von Neumann Self–replicating machines. Von Neumann Mothership . |IntroVersion= |Notes=Destroying a Von Neumann "mothership" will give you a one time 25% research boost for 1 turn. Colloquially referred to as Mom and the kids. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated=Yes }} |AMUpdateInfo=If you defeat the resource gathering Motherships often enough, then you will receive a visit from Von Neumann warships in retaliation. }} Von Neumann Berserker |Notes=A Von Neumann Berserker appearance is NOT random and CAN be predicted based upon the amount of resources the Von Neumann resource gatherers manage to collect. |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Von Neumann Construct |Notes= The VN construct is NOT a Grand Menace...it is a COPY of a Grand Menace, the System Killer above. That means it can appear in the same game WITH an actual Grand Menace. Further, with enough collected resources, the Von Neumann will build more than 1... or 2... Defeating the Construct gives a 50% research bonus for ten turns |Tactics=Refer to System Killer above. |Version= |AMUpdated= }} Von Neumann Homeworld |Notes= If you get a message about the Von Neumann Homeworld, know that it doesn't show up as a star system on the strategic map unless you have deepscan around it. Be aware however that the Moon isn't.... |Tactics= |Version= |AMUpdated=Yes }} |AMUpdateInfo=The Moon now has some of its armaments active. }} |AMUpdateInfo=The Moon now has more of its armaments active. }}